Combination metering and view finding camera with swivel handle grip



Nov. 24, 1953 Filed May 28, 1951 L. M. CULP COMBINATION METERING AND VIEW FINDING CAMERA WITH SWIVEL HANDLE GRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. L y/e /7- Cu/p Nov. 24, 1953 L. M. cuLP COMBINATION METERING AND VIEW FINDING CAMERA WITH SWIVEL HANDLE GRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1951 INVENTOR. Ly/e N Cu/p BY/ M g TTO NE Y Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION METERING AND VIEW FIND- ING CAMERA WITH SWIVEL HANDLE GRIP Lyle M. Culp, Colman, S. Dak.

Application May 28, 1951, Serial No. 228,671

2 Claims. I 1

My invention relates to a camera Construction,

An object of my invention is to provide a camera construction which includes a handle grip atttached to the camera so that the camera can be swung to vertical or lateral position for taking the pictures in either position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a view finding device which is simple to operate, and readily adjustable to the person using the camera.

A further object of my invention is to, provide a metering device which automatically feeds the camera, film the correct distance after the shut ter is actuated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a film spool holding arrangement which will be accommodated to any sizeof'spool.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrange.- ment, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the camera,

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view of the camera showing the camera housing swung to the horizontal position,

Figure 4 is a detail,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the longitudinal axis. of the camera,

Figure 6 is a detail,

Figure 7 is an end view with the front casing removed with fragmentary sections,

Figure 8 is a detail,

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 9--9 of Figure 7, and

Figure 10 is a detail.

I have used the character In to designate the side walls of the camera, the character I I the top wall, the character I2 the bottom wall, the character I3 the forward wall, and the character I4 the rear wall. The various walls are split along the line I5 with the wall II being hinged at I6, with a spring clip I'I serving to lock the camera together, the clipv Ilincluding. the. portion I18 which falls into a suitable recess. This arrangementv thereby provides a convenient structure wherein the rear half of the camera canbe: swung in the direction of the arrow I9 thereby expose ing the working parts inside, and allowing insertion of the film and the like, this structure also eliminating the need for a separate interior housing. If desired, the line I5 can continue along the dotted portions 2!) toallow. easier access to certain of the rolls, although this is not essential:

Attached to the top wall II is a sight; 2I, and also secured to the end of the top wall II, or the stationary portion, are a pair of spaced buttons 22 attached to the gear racks 23 which gear racks pass through the keepers 24 which are attached to the wall I I, the gear racks 23 being adapted to mesh with the small gear 25 (see Figu1e'4) which is attached to a shaft 26 which is attached to a button 21, the shaft 26 passing through the wall I I. The buttons 22 can include small extending pins passing within the slots 28, which slots are provided in the wall I I, and need not pass all the way through, this arrangement serving to guide the buttons 22.

The character 29 indicates a further sight located on the side wall I0, and it will be noted from Figure 1 that an identical arrangement of buttons 22, gear racks 23, etc. are also provided on the side III. The button 22 on the upper poi?- tion of Figure 1 can be made longer to clearthe' boss 30 so that it will be visible, the boss serve ing to receive the rod 3I having the turning han dle 32, the rod 3I being adapted to be journalled within the boss 30. The rod 3| further includes a pair of ears 33 (see Figure 10) received in a suitable slot 34, with a leaf spring 35 being attached to both members 33 with a pin 38 serv.-. ingto keep the members together, each end of" the leaf spring being attached to alternate portions 33. This spring urged arrangement permits any size of spool to be attached to the shaft 31 which is a continuation of the shaft 3 I, the shaft 3T extending into the square portion 38 at the extreme ity thereof. The square portion 38 is. adapted to bereceived at 39 (see Figure 7') within a socket attached to a gear 4!] which is a portion of a suitable spring wound mechanism of any desired enclosed within a casing. II and having the wind-I ing key 42, this winding mechanism thereby be-t ing adapted to rotate the" spool 4'3 (see Figur'e 5)" which is mounted on the shaft 31, in the d-ir'ece tion; of the arrow M.

Attached to the forward: wall" I3 at 4 5 are the straps'or framework portions 48 which extend into the side portions 4 leavinga clear space at #8 for the exposure of the film 49;, this film: being the him that is relied upon the various spools, this film also passing over the" spool 50 suitably journal le'd to the clips" BI the film however first passing over the idler roller 52. Firmly engaged with the film at 53 are the annular. bands 84' which are made of rubber or other frictionally engageable material, and which. are mounted on the pair of discs 55, which are attached to a shaft which shaft passes through one of the side walis: III and; terminates in the rotatable button 3 51 having the marking 58 which indicates when the film is in its initial position.

The shaft 56 bears against the wall I3, and bearing against the shaft 56 is a leaf spring member 59 against which bears the end of a machine screw 60 threadably engaged at 6| with the keeper 62 which is also secured to the wall I3, this arrangement serving to maintain any desired tensional adjustment against the shaft 56.

One of the discs 55 includes an indented slot 63 in which is received the short pin 64 which is attached to a horizontal rod 65, the end of which rod 65 is shown bearing against the rotatable member 66, the rotatable member 66 being in the form of a flat strip which is rotated by means of the shaft 61, which is driven by the chain of gears in the spring arrangement. Also bearing against the member 66 is the rod 68 which is pivoted at 69 to a framework portion of the spring mechanism and continues into the lever I0 passing within a slot I I.

The character I2 indicates a handle member which is approximately U-shaped as shown, and which includes the end portions I3, one of which is rotatably secured within the wall I4, the portions I3 including flanges I4 having the spring urged balls I5 therein adapted to register within the depression I6, it being noted that a pair of further depressions 11 are provided, so that the handles I2 can be swung to the position shown in Figure 3 and firmly supported in this position. The portion I3 further includes a collar I8 pinned thereto at I9, this arrangement thereby serving to provide firm supporting means, whereby the camera can be carried, with the members 12 Iunctioning as a handle, and whereby the camera can be aimed at an object to take the picture thereof, either in the position shown in Figure 1 or as shown in Figure 3. By turning the centrally positioned buttons 21 it will be noted that the gear racks will be drawn inwardly or outwardly, thereby moving the buttons 22. In this way, the operator can sight the object along either of the dotted lines 80, for instance, as

shown in Figure 2, which will accommodate the ,1

view to the length of the operators arm, thereby providing a convenient adjusting view finder which can be quickly manipulated.

Attached at 8I within the handle I2 is an arouate spring bar 82 terminating in a trigger 83 a passing through a slot 84, and attached to the trigger 83 at 05 is a thin wire or cable 86 passing over a. pulley 81, which cable is then attached at 88 (see Figure 7) to a lever 89 pivotally attached at 90 to the wall I3, with the lever continuing into the portion 9I which is an integral extension of the disc shade 92. Attached at 93 to the lever 89 is a lengthened spring wire 94 which is engaged at 95 with the shutter 96 including a shutter opening 91 adapted to cover the lens opening 90 during actuation of the mechanism. Also attached at 93 is a spring member 99 which bears against the end of the rod 65 which passes through the small keeper I00, the rod '65 including the upwardly bent portion IOI which bears against the small lip I02 which is bent out of the shutter disc 96, the disc 96 also including an ear I03 bearing against the member I04 which is secured to the wall I3. A casing I05 which slips into the end of the arrangement covers the forward end thereof and includes an opening I06 registering with the lens It will now be noted that the camera, can be aimed at an object with the pictures being taken vertically or horizontally as explained heretofore, and with the view finding arrangements being adjustably fixed.

As soon as the trigger 83 is pulled rearwardly, the cable 86 is pulled against the spring I08a which correspondingly pivots the lever 39 and lever portion 9|, releasing the spring 99 from the end of the rod 65. At this moment the Wire 94 will cause the disc 96 to rotate in the direction of the arrow I03, which causes the lip I02 to bear against the portion IOI of the rod '65, thereby taking the pin I34 out of engagement with the slot 63 in the disc 55. At the same time, the end of the rod 65 is dis-engaged from the rotating strip 66 which allows the spring mechanism to operate, and thereby rolls the film 49 on the spool 43. The frictional engagement of the annular bands 54 with the film at 53 will allow a certain amount of film to be drawn out, this amount corresponding to the circumference of the bands 54, and with the pin 64 riding against the side of the disc 55 as soon as the trigger has been released, the pin thus riding against the side of the member 55 until it again reaches the notch or depression 63, whereby it will snap into place and lock the metering arrangement so that no more film is advanced. Meanwhile, the disc 96 and shade 92 have returned to their original position, ready for the next film portion to be advanced.

The lever I0 when swung in the direction of the arrow 109 serves to release the member 66 for operation, the lever as shown in the position in Figure 7 keeping the arrangement in its locked position before it is ready for operation. In this manner, the film is advanced only the necessary distance, the picture can be taken instantly, just before the film is advanced.

It will now be seen that I have provided the various advantages set forth in the objects of my invention with various other advantages being readily apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. .A. camera includin, car a a handle member attached to said ody, handle member being substantially U-shap d, one of the sides of handle member g pivoted to camera body whereby s can be wun t a 1 0 it a to 5 id handle member, view body includi the top ans. for adjustably sp outwar centrally pod s attached to said camera body for sighting with respect to said bllillJOFiiS.

2. A camera including body, a handle member attached to said camera body, said member being substantially U-sh d, one of the s1des of said handle member it .voted to said camera body whereby sa to a position at right an oer, view finders attack o i be swung ndle i to mera body lncluding pairs of spaced buttons att l at the top and side of said camera body, Ill" u or adrespect to said buttons, said adjustable spacing means including gear racks attached to said buttons, a centrally positioned gear member engaging said gear racks, whereby rotation of said centrally positioned gear member will adjustably position the buttons.

LYLE M. CULP.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number 6 Name Date Johnson Feb. 18, 1913 Johnson July 14, 1914 Folmer Aug. 14, 1917 Fairchild June 2, 1936 Drotning Jan. 9, 1940 Brown Nov. 11, 1941 Potts Mar. 9, 1943 Wisegarver Jan. 30, 1951 

